Day 7: Les Alpilles, September 5th

The Alpilles chain is a small range of low mountains located about 12 miles south of Avignon. It’s an extension of the much larger Luberon range. The Alpilles are arid limestone peaks separated by dry valleys. It was very windy the day we approached the Alpilles, the wind - commonly known as the Mistral – is a cold northeasterly wind that blows into Southern France, most often between winter and spring. Because of the wind, it was a “red day” in the Alpilles, meaning we had to be out of the area by 11 am. The fear was that a fire down in the valley would be swept up into the mountain paths and trap us there. Our guides assured us this possibility was highly unlikely, but once a red day is declared the rule is automatically in place and and there is no way around it. So rather than walking from St Remy up to the Alpilles, we parked a bit closer and began our hike through the Alpilles on the steep, rocky roads.  As usual, the views were spectacular, but as you see from these pictures, a bit difficult to reach.  

As we made our way down the mountain, we encountered these beautiful woods.   

Our guides had planned a delightful lunch for us just off this path at Mas de la Pyramide – a 400 year old farm house owned and operated by its 91 year-old owner, Lolo Maron.

Lolo in the farmhouse kitchen

Lolo conducts tours of his ancient farmhouse, and along with several friends, prepares delicious farmhouse lunches and dinners for tourists by prior arrangement. We had appetizers, charcuterie (cold cuts), an entrée of leg of lamb, a tempting mushroom omelette cooked by Lolo himself, followed by the required cheese course, and fresh fruit for dessert. All this in a quaint little farmhouse deep in the woods. Amazing!

After a short rest in the sun to digest our meal, we were free to explore the nearby attractions. My friends and I chose to visit Maison de Santé Saint-Paul, a mental hospital. Van Gogh committed himself here after cutting off his ear in Arles. To this day, there are accomodations available for those needing mental health care.

He painted at least 142 pieces here over the course of two years, two of the most famous were Starry Night and Irises. There is a replica of his bedroom in the building as well as several copies of his works exhibited on the walls of the institution and in the gardens.

We found our way back to town by following the Van Gogh Walk – a sidewalk lined with copies of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings along with short explanations of each. Once back in town we checked out several shops, found another cafe for our afternoon beverages and watched a wedding at the end of the street. After a busy afternoon, we returned to our hotel to prepare for dinner. 

 
Dinner that night was at L’Aile Ou La Cuisse, just a few blocks from our hotel. I’m sure the dinner was lovely, but it was the desserts that are fixed in our memories. Charlotte told us to choose our desserts first because they disappear so quickly. Our selections were put aside and held for us until we finished our first 3 courses. They were well worth the wait!